The invention relates to watercraft with an underwater viewing port or window, particularly a surfboard-type of craft in which a person lies prone on an upper surface of the craft.
It is known to provide surfboard-type crafts with viewing ports for a person lying on craft to view underwater life through the port. One such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,658 (New et al) which discloses a paddle board having a passageway extending between upper and lower surfaces of the deck, with the passageway covered by spaced apart transparent panels or "lenses". The upper lens is inclined to the horizontal and is partially surrounded by a hood or cowl which attempts to shade the upper lens from extraneous or background light. Any water collecting on the inclined upper lens drains through an opening disposed adjacent a lower portion of the lens, and then onto the upper surface of the craft. U.S. Pat. No. 3,081,726 (Betts et al) also discloses a floating underwater viewing unit which has a cylindrical or annular rim provided with padding to receive a person's face. The rim surrounds a transparent panel which is generally adjacent a lower surface of the craft, and has a plurality of vent openings therein to permit exchange of air for the person. Any water or other material passing the rim will collect on the viewing surface and obscure the view therethrough. U.S. Pat. No. 2,926,365 (Wilcoxson) discloses an underwater viewing apparatus having a viewing unit with vertically spaced apart upper and lower horizontal transparent panels. An opening is provided in the lower transparent panel to permit water to enter the viewing unit with a one-way valve to permit air to escape when water enters.
To the inventor's knowledge, there are no floating underwater viewing devices which permit water to drain from an upper portion of the viewing port to a lower portion thereof irrespective of angle of the craft to the horizontal so as to be self-draining, and to simultaneously remove sand or other material that might collect adjacent the viewing port.